Kefir has a very lively history and the aura of a wonderful product. It is not surprising that in the collective consciousness other qualities are mixed with real healing properties: for example, quick and painless weight loss without negative consequences. We find out what kefir is really good at and examine kefir diets from all angles looking for advantages and disadvantages.
History of kefir
Just imagine: in the glass of kefir you drink today there is a trace of the drink that was drunk hundreds of years ago.
Kefir was made from cow's milk, which got "mushrooms", acetic acid bacteria and yeast from streptococci and chopsticks. According to the researchers, this fungus most likely originated from koumis, a drink made from mare's milk, and got into cow's milk when the tribes of the Caucasus changed their nomadic way of life to sedentary lifestyles and began farming. Scientists have not yet succeeded in artificially removing the kefir mushroom; new parts of the starter culture are obtained by multiplying existing mushrooms.
Today kefir is drunk everywhere from Kazakhstan to Australia, but certain bacteria in the basis of a modern product can be traced back to a specific location, the Elbrus region. The people who lived on the northern slope of the Caucasian ridge considered kefir to be a gift from Allah himself, so the drink was surrounded by special rituals and superstitions.
For example, it was forbidden to sell kefir mushrooms, it was believed that doing so would take away their healing power. But they could be stolen - with the tacit permission of the owner.
Another ritual: The highlanders poured milk with kefir mushrooms into a leather wineskin and laid it in the sun next to the path to the house. Passers-by could show respect to the owner by kicking the wineskin - the shaking intensified the fermentation process.
The first official communication about the benefits of kefir was made in 1867 by the Tbilisi doctor Jogin. But the production of the drink was still a well-kept secret of the highlands at the time. The situation changed thanks to an employee of a well-known large dairy company. She was commissioned to visit the estate of a wealthy Karachai and received - for the first time in history - 10 pounds of kefir mushroom "grains" either as a gift or as legal compensation for unsuccessful advertising. So kefir was finally produced industrially.
The benefits of kefir
As early as the late 19th century, doctors started a really large-scale campaign to promote the benefits of kefir, the echo of which still touches us today. The legendary scientist, Nobel Prize winner, has studied the benefits of fermented milk products and live microorganisms from probiotics his whole life.
Further research confirmed his suspicions. Kefir has a beneficial effect on the intestinal flora and metabolism in general and prevents the development of pathogenic flora. It also has immune-stimulating, calming and slightly diuretic effects, that is, it relieves the body of excess fluids.
Kefir surpasses yogurt in the content of vitamins A, D, K, E, contains useful organic and amino acids, enzymes and important trace elements - iron, iodine, calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc - in the amounts that a person needs.
The older the kefir, the more sour it tastes and the more ethyl alcohol it contains. In any case, there is not much of it: At the end of the shelf life, a maximum of 1 degree fortress, you can safely sit behind the wheel even after a whole bottle of kefir. But children should still be fed fresh one-day kefir.
In people who are lactose intolerant, kefir helps to absorb this carbohydrate normally. Kefir is low in calories and high in moisture, so it helps to maintain the water balance and at the same time brings a feeling of satiety. It is not surprising that the product has become the basis of a whole galaxy of diets.
The essence of the kefir diet
Nutritious and light, kefir improves the work of the digestive tract and helps to lose weight quickly by drastically reducing the amount of calories ingested and removing excess fluids. Many consider the kefir diet to be a mono diet; H. a diet from one product, but this is the most radical option: it is permissible to eat only kefir without harm to health for a maximum of 24 hours. Much more often, kefir is combined with other low-calorie foods for 3, 7, or 9 days. The kefir-buckwheat diet, the kefir-banana diet, the kefir-quark diet and the cucumber-kefir diet are particularly popular.
By the way, kefir was glorified by the famous kefir diet of a popular singer: the story is silent about whether a really famous singer used it, at some point in her career she really lost a lot of weight. The star diet menu includes kefir, of course, but also low-fat cottage cheese, chicken breast, fruit and jacket potatoes.
Kefir diet for weight loss is certainly suitable. But it severely restricts the supply of nutrients, is based on hunger and puts the body in a very stressful state. Is the result worth it? This is how they write about the kefir diet on the net:
- "Less than 12 kg in 3 weeks. I lost weight but I will never do it again !!! I thought I was going to starve. "
- "The kefir diet is effective when you follow it properly. But without physical exertion, the effect will not be. You should do at least some exercises. Try to drink only kefir for 1 day. If you feel uncomfortable, you better stop. . . "
- "A week without food. General. A kefir and water. The consequences have come. Perhaps the toughest of all the diets I've tried. "
General rules for the kefir diet
- Kefir is the main product of the diet. You need to drink about 1. 5 liters a day. The rest are low-calorie, fat-free carbohydrates and proteins: meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, and cottage cheese.
- You need to eat in small portions at least five times a day.
- You can drink kefir as a snack between main meals.
- Although kefir is good at quenching thirst, you must also drink at least 1. 5 liters of water per day.
- All floury, fatty, heavy, fried and spicy dishes are excluded. Sugar and salt are kept to a minimum (or better, completely excluded).
- Getting off the kefir diet needs to be done carefully and smoothly: going to a party or eating pizza is not the best idea if you want to keep the results.
How to choose the right kefir
Choose fresh kefir - no more than 2-3 days from the date of manufacture - low fat. A completely fat-free meal is not the best choice because the body needs fat.
The composition should contain exactly the "kefir sourdough" from mushrooms, yeast and fermented milk cultures. Do not buy kefir or fermented milk drinks.
Protein in real kefir is not less than 3% - it is needed so that not too much muscle mass is lost when losing weight.
Please note: We do not need any additives, colorings, sugar, palm oil and milk powder in the composition. The ideal is farm kefir.
The shelf life of natural kefir is 7-10 days from the date of manufacture. If a longer shelf life is stated on the label, it is likely that there are preservatives in the composition. Do not buy kefir that has previously spoiled: it will be divided into whey and flakes, turn yellowish, bitter taste and sour aroma. Unscrupulous manufacturers may try to cover up the damage with an opaque bottle or packaging.
How can you replace kefir in your diet?
If for some reason kefir is not available to you or the taste does not suit you at all, you can try alternatives:
- Yogurt without additives.Choose a product carefully, starch and sugar are often added to it for taste and thickness.
- Other low-fat fermented milk products- for example fermented baking milk, tan or ayran.
- Sour milk.It is easy to prepare at home: just leave the milk in an enameled bowl at room temperature for a day.
Table of approved products
| Be able | It is forbidden |
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Kefir diet for 3 days
If we discard the mono diet on kefir, which is the most difficult option for the body, then the kefir diet for 3 days will have the most powerful effect on the body. When time is short, it will help you quickly attack and shock the weight.
The general principle is one: about 1. 5 liters of kefir per day for 5-6 cans. In addition, other low-calorie foods are acceptable. The most popular options are buckwheat, cottage cheese, apples, vegetables. You can alternate kefir with just one product - apples, for example. But it is better to make your food as varied and interesting as possible, even if you are on a diet.
For example, a kefir diet menu might look like this:
day 1
- Breakfast:Oatmeal, tea with honey.
- Dinner:Stew, vegetable soup.
- Dinner:green salad.
- Snacks:Kefir.
day 2
- Breakfast:boiled egg, rose hip broth.
- Dinner:Salad, vegetable soup.
- Dinner:Vegetable salad, tea.
- Snacks:Kefir.
Day 3
- Breakfast:Cottage cheese casserole, tea.
- Dinner:boiled fish, salad.
- Dinner:Buckwheat porridge, chamomile tea.
- Snacks:Kefir.
Kefir diet for 7 days
With the kefir diet for a week, you can get impressive results: minus 7-10 kg. Since it takes longer, it is important to eat as varied as possible.
In one of the diet options, kefir is to be combined with just one low-calorie product, for example apples, every day, but you can simply extend the three-day diet schedule by a week and eat "porridge" for breakfast, protein and vegetables for lunch and dinnerDinner, kefir in between ".
Sample menu:
- Day 1:Divide about 200-250 g of cooked lean meat and 1. 5 liters of kefir into 5 servings.
- Day 2:5 large apples and 1. 5 liters of kefir per day.
- Day 3:300 g of cottage cheese 3-5% fat and 1. 5 liters of kefir.
- Day 4:250 g of steamed white fish and 1. 5 l of kefir.
- Day 5:500 g cucumber and tomato salad and 1. 5 l kefir.
- Day 6:250 g of chicken fillet and 1. 5 l of kefir.
- Day 7:2 liters of kefir and prunes to taste.
Kefir diet for 9 days
Option for the most stubborn. Eating only meat or cottage cheese every day is boring, but in order not to cook something new every day, take the menu as a basis for 3 days and alternate them. For example like this:
Day 1, 4, 7
- Breakfast:Oatmeal, egg, tea with honey.
- Dinner:Stew, green salad.
- Dinner:Vegetables, dried fruits.
- Snacks:Kefir, apples.
Day 2, 5, 8
- Breakfast:Toast and rose hip broth.
- Dinner:boiled fish with vegetables.
- Dinner:an apple, a slice of low-fat cheese.
- Snacks:Kefir, cottage cheese.
Day 3, 6, 9
- Breakfast:Steam omelette, green tea.
- Dinner:Chicken soup, salad, a slice of black bread.
- Dinner:steamed fish, buckwheat porridge.
- Snacks:Kefir.
Recipe: kefir with cinnamon and ginger
First of all, those who lose weight with kefir tend not to have enough sweets. A simple recipe will help: add cinnamon and ginger to the kefir. Ginger has warming and fat burning properties, while the smell and taste of cinnamon are pleasantly sweet. The finished mixture can be drunk in the morning, for vitality, at night to debug the work of the digestive tract, or you can take it with you when you travel.
Ingredients:
- Kefir 500 ml
- ground ginger 1 tsp
- ground cinnamon 1 tsp
- Other spices: cloves, pepper.
Mix kefir with spices with a whisk or mixer and pour into small bottles. The drink must be consumed on the same day. Be careful with bell peppers and other colorful spices if you have a sensitive stomach or have damaged your intestinal lining.
How to End a Kefir Diet Properly
Nutritionists warn: the kefir diet is suitable for perfectly healthy people with no gastrointestinal problems and the slightest signs of eating disorders.
And even they can experience unpleasant symptoms such as abdominal pain and almost inevitably gain back the weight they have already lost, as is the case with any short-term high-pressure diet.
In order for the weight not to return immediately, finish the diet smoothly. Continue to eat fractionated and limit your total calorie intake to 1000-1500 kcal for at least a week. Continue to drink at least 1. 5 liters of water a day and avoid starchy foods, heavy foods, and fatty foods for at least 2 weeks. It is better to make light soups, vegetable salads, cereals and boiled meat the basis of the diet. Gradually introduce other products, one product every 2-3 days.
Why the kefir diet is bad
A diet that severely restricts nutritional diversity simply cannot be of any benefit in the long term. Everyday kefir diet is definitely not suitable. There are three categories of people to whom it can do more harm than good.
- People with disorders and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, lactose intolerance. Kefir can cause diarrhea and dehydration, stomach pain, and gas. Ethyl alcohol in the composition is also harmful to the intestinal mucosa.
- Children, pregnant and breastfeeding women. A varied diet is essential for them. Withdrawing fats and carbohydrates from the body, even for several days, means inhibiting development and growth.
- People with eating disorders. Let's face it, few people are enthusiastic about the taste of kefir without additives. You literally have to force yourself to drink it. If this continues for more than a few days, the likelihood of collapse increases exponentially.
Benefits of the Kefir Diet
Simplicity, efficiency, a lot of fluidity. Potential gastrointestinal and microflora benefits. A large amount of calcium has a beneficial effect on the condition of bones, nails and teeth.
Disadvantages of the kefir diet
Stress for the body due to malnutrition, lack of vitamins and taste. Possibly indigestion, gas, constipation or diarrhea, stomach upset. The increased acidity of the product can worsen the condition of people with gout, rheumatism and high acidity of gastric juice.